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Expanding Title IV-E Adoption Assistance

From the NACAC website:

Thousands of children receive no federal adoption assistance, primarily because their birth parents’ incomes were higher than 1996 AFDC eligibility levels. Some of these youth get no aid, while others receive less support or lose benefits when they move to a new state. Denying children federal assistance also places an unfair financial burden on states. Since 1987, NACAC has argued that it makes no sense to tie a child’s federal adoption assistance eligibility to the income of parents whose legal rights have been severed.

Within 10 years, regardless of their birth parents’ income, all children adopted from foster care who meet other IV-E criteria will be eligible for federal adoption assistance—which should increase their chances of being adopted and having adequate support. Beginning federal fiscal year (FY) 2010 (which starts October 1, 2009), children who have been in care for at least 60 consecutive months and youth adopted at age 16 or older will be eligible for IV-E adoption assistance. As shown below, eligibility will be phased in by age.